The Board of Academy of Finland appointed the new Finnish Research Infrastructure Committee

The Board of the Academy of Finland has appointed a new Finnish Research Infrastructure Committee to serve from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2022. The Finnish Research Infrastructure Committee, or FIRI Committee, at the Academy of Finland monitors and develops Finnish and international research infrastructure activities. The FIRI Committee also submits proposals to the Academy Board on long-term research infrastructure plans, selects projects to be funded in Finland and monitors the projects. The Committee funds research infrastructure projects with funds allocated in the state budget.

The Committee is chaired by Executive Director Riitta Maijala from the Academy of Finland. The vice chair is Director Erja Heikkinen from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture.

The members are:

• President and CEO Johanna Buchert, Natural Resources Institute Finland
• Director General Juhani Damski, Finnish Meteorological Institute
• Director General Anni Huhtala, VATT Institute for Economic Research
• Professor Juha Hämäläinen, Research Council for Culture and Society, Academy of Finland
• Rector Keijo Hämäläinen, University of Jyväskylä
• Ministerial Adviser Pirjo Kutinlahti, Ministry of Employment and the Economy
• Director Mika Lautanala, Business Finland
• Rector Jukka Mönkkönen, University of Eastern Finland
• Rector Ilkka Niemelä, Aalto University
• Rector Riitta Rissanen, Lapland University of Applied Sciences
• Professor Mika Rämet, Research Council for Biosciences, Health and the Environment, Academy of Finland
• Vice-rector Hanna Snellman, University of Helsinki
• Rector Mari Walls, University of Tampere
• Professor Minnamari Vippola, Research Council for Natural Sciences and Engineering, Academy of Finland
• Counsellor of Education Petteri Kauppinen from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture was appointed as a permanent expert on the Committee. 

The chair and members of the Finnish Research Infrastructure Committee are appointed by the Academy Board after hearing the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture. The chair and members have diverse experience in the organisational functions of the research and innovation system and understanding of the significance of research infrastructures. They are either acknowledged researchers or experts of science policy.